This easy Pot Roast Crock-Pot Recipe is tender and flavored with rich Mexican spices for a delicious and easy low-carb meal. This recipe is a hit whether served over cauliflower rice for those following a keto diet or used in tacos or burritos for everyone else.

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Easy Mexican Pot Roast Recipe in Crock-Pot

My family’s favorite meal is my keto Pot Roast which is full of buttery ranch flavor. As much as we love that meal and could eat it often, I thought I would work on a Mexican Pot Roast recipe in the Crock-Pot for the best of both worlds. My kids love Mexican-flavored foods, so I knew that combining a slow cooker roast with rich taco seasonings, Rotel tomatoes with green chilis, and onions would be an automatic win.

I also love that this recipe is versatile for those who don’t follow a low-carb or keto diet. It can be served over regular rice, Mexican rice, or in tacos or burritos. Being able to cook one meal for everyone is always a win.

What is Pot Roast?

Interestingly enough, pot roast isn’t a kind of meat. Rather it is a way to describe a braised beef dish that is a large piece of beef roast slow-cooked or cooked in a dutch oven covered with liquid and veggies.

What is the Best Cut of Beef for a Pot Roast?

I was surprised to find that a tougher cut of beef with lots of marbling makes a better roast when making a recipe for roast in the Crock-Pot. For the most tender meat choose one of the roasts listed below.

Chuck Roast (highly marbled with a lot of fat) – also labeled Shoulder Roast, Blade Roast, Chuck Shoulder, Severn Bone Roast
Bottom Round Roast (leaner than chuck roast) – Roast Rump Roast or London Broil
Beef Brisket (lots of fat) – comes with a much heftier price tag than either of the others and is usually BBQed or smoked

How Do You Sear A Roast Before Cooking?

Some people say that searing the meat is necessary for the best flavor. I’ve tested it both ways many times and honestly can’t tell the difference. Not searing the roast is a considerable timesaver too. If you are on the side of the fence that believes that searing a roast is best, I’ve included instructions below since I did not include searing as a step in the recipe below for Mexican Post Roast in the Crock-Pot.

Coat bottom of cast-iron or another heavy skillet with olive oil and turn on medium/high heat. When the oil begins the shimmer, it is hot and ready to sear the beef roast.
Pat meat dry then season with salt/pepper and place in the skillet. It will likely smoke a bit.
Sear on both sides, then for approx 2-4 minutes per side. You’ll want to make sure to brown on all sides. Don’t move it around between sides as it needs time to sear.
Remove from pan and place in a slow cooker.

Optional Tip: Add a bit more broth to the skillet and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan. Add those bits that you scrape off the bottom and the broth to the crockpot for added flavor.

Do You Add Water to Crock Pot Roast?

You can, but I prefer using a more flavorful liquid like beef broth. You could also use red wine but would need to be mindful of the carb count.

Although, I have read that you don’t have to use any liquid at all as the steam from the Crock-Pot will still make the meat tender, however; in my recipe testing the most tender and flavorful roasts were made when the roast was at least halfway covered with beef broth. In this recipe, I also added a can of Rotel tomatoes, which are diced tomatoes with green chilies for added flavor along with my homemade taco seasoning to give it a Mexican flair.

Can I Use a Store Bought Taco Seasoning Packet?

That is always up to you. If you use my homemade taco seasoning, the recipe will have fewer carbs, and there aren’t any added fillers. However, I understand that we have to choose our battles sometimes, so I always say, “You do you.”

Since most of us who follow a low carb lifestyle avoid carrots and potatoes, I added onion and garlic to this slow cooker pot roast recipe instead to give it a little added texture and flavor.

Variations to this Recipe:

Feel free to add some heat to this recipe to turn it up a notch. Chipolte peppers, green chilis, jalapenos, and crushed red peppers could all be added to infuse rich hot flavor.

How Long to Cook Crock-Pot Roast Recipe?

Although sometimes cooking times can vary depending on the size and shape of the roast, generally, you will cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 9-10 hours. If you find that the pot roast in the Crock-Pot isn’t fork tender after the allotted cooking time, it needs to cook longer. Go ahead and shred the roast if it is tender enough to shred then continue to slow cook on high for another hour or so. If it isn’t tender enough to shred, continue slow cooking for at least an hour on high without removing the lid. Removing the lid from the Crock-Pot causes heat to escape, which increases the cooking time.

How to Shred Pot Roast?

I used two forks to shred the pot roast in the Crock-Pot by placing the forks back to back in the roast adjacent to each other with the tips in the meat. Then, pull the forks in the opposite direction to shred the pot roast. I pull out large pieces of fat as I shred and discard.

After you steam the cauliflower rice in the microwave, fry it in butter with a little salt and pepper for incredible flavor. I don’t personally like it straight out of the bag, but the butter helps it taste much better.

If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, they are incredibly affordable and long-lasting. I have several I inherited from my grandmother that are over 50 years old. For this recipe, I used this Lodge 10.25 inch skillet.

Spoon the shredded Mexican Pot Roast and all of the juices right on top of the riced cauliflower and let it sit for a few minutes. By doing so, the flavor from the pot roast seeps into the riced cauliflower. Serving it together makes it taste like rice. My family loved this great recipe. It turned out amazing!

How to Serve Pot Roast in the Crock-Pot Recipe?

In this recipe, I serve this delicious Mexican Pot Roast over riced cauliflower. However, if you eat low-carb tortillas, you could serve in those tortilla shells or rolled up in a lettuce boat if you prefer. The possibilities are endless. It turned out great and filling, so we ate it as is for a complete meal.

Tip: If you aren’t following a low-carb diet, rice is a great choice or use in tacos or burritos.

Check out these other Low Carb Roast Recipes:

Delicious Keto Sides

More Slow Cooker Recipes:

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